Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo has a ruptured quad tendon in his right knee and will miss the rest of the season, the team announced Thursday. An MRI taken Thursday revealed the injury, and Oladipo will undergo surgery at a date to be determined. Pacers officials had been preparing for the worst: the loss of the franchise's most important player as the team competes for the best record in the Eastern Conference. After Oladipo was ruled out for the season, the Pacers' title odds went from 80-1 to 200-1 at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook.

LeBron James will not play in the Cleveland Cavaliers' preseason game against the Indiana Pacers on Friday as he continues to recover from a left ankle injury, the team announced. James twisted the ankle on the second day of Cavs training camp when he stepped on rookie Cedi Osman's foot in transition. He rested for a week before returning to shootaround Wednesday and practice Thursday, missing the Cavs' intrasquad scrimmage Monday and preseason opener Wednesday -- a 109-93 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

The All-Star break is almost here. The NBA's elite will flock to New York later this week for the annual sports spectacle, culminating with the marquee game at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night. It's a time for the league to showcase itself and its stars, and it's a chance for players and coaches to pause from the regular season's 82-game grind. And unlike in past years, everybody might actually be able to unwind.